The Way You Are (16 page)

Chapter 35

Ruby stared out the window at the blue sky and white, puffy clouds the whole way home. Even though she watched the sun continue its ascent over the horizon, she had the flight attendant bring her a shot of whiskey with her omelet to calm her nerves. Her hands still shook, and she took some deep breaths. Thomas sat a few rows back and Garrett’s head lulled to the side, his lips slightly parted.

He obviously hadn’t slept last night, and this made her feel protected, as well as bothered her. She supposed he had the training to go twenty-four hours without sleep, but in the end, she selfishly wished he’d been curled around her.

Their time together had come to such an abrupt end, and she didn’t know where it left them. Actually, scratch that. She knew exactly how this ended. He delivered her back to her parents in one piece, and then he walked away.

She, however, couldn’t do that, even if he had been an asshole since the attack.

Thinking it over, she surmised she needed more time with Garrett—one more night to be with him before they parted ways and she went back to her old life. The idea made her stomach curl as she relived the past few days of feeling like a wanted, sexy woman instead of a dull, drab slob that fit in nowhere.

As the whiskey seeped into her bones and she ate her omelet, she decided she would get what she wanted, no matter who she pissed off.

Garrett pretended to sleep, but his mind buzzed with exhaustion and thoughts of the future. He hadn’t slept a wink while he guarded Ruby, and although he tried to drift off now, the deep slumber he needed eluded him.

Guilt ate at him for his crassness and the way he’d cut himself off from Ruby. Her soft cries had ripped at his heart, one small, tiny cut at a time. He’d breathed a sigh of relief when she’d finally slept, but the sounds of the forest at night had kept him on full alert.

No one would ever get to Ruby unless they got through him, and chances of that were slim.

He didn’t care about the assumption that amateurs had come to the house. As far as he was concerned, he stood at war against an unknown assailant, and he’d do anything to protect the prize—Ruby.

And that meant blocking his feelings for her, and letting her go.

As they’d boarded the plane, he’d noticed the look of pleading in her eyes as he’d sat down next to her, begging him to talk to her, to bring things back to the place they’d been the past week.

He couldn’t go there.

Too much adrenaline coursed through his body, his muscles strained, his head ached with thoughts he’d had all night long of how the intruders could still get to her.

By the time day broke, he had come to one conclusion: Ruby belonged in her gold-plated castle, where everything was as it should be, where no questions about reality should exist, where no harm could come to her. He’d talk to her parents about hiring some more security for her, basically caging her even more than she’d told him.

He hated to do that, but if it kept her safe, that’s all that mattered.

Chapter 36

They landed in Dallas, and Ruby walked out onto the empty tarmac. The spring sun felt hotter on her skin than it did in the mountains of Arizona, the air a little thicker.

She inhaled deeply, gathering the courage to keep her plan in place. She knew they would hurry her away to her parents’ house, and frankly, she wasn’t ready. With all that they’d been through, she needed more time with Garrett to say goodbye, and she planned on getting it.

Garrett and Thomas escorted her from the plane to where another van waited for them. Joe wheeled himself up, a grin on his face.

“Ruby! Hello!” he said as he approached.

She smiled. “Hi, Joe.”

“I trust you found the stay at the cabin to your satisfaction?”

She looked over at the stoned-faced Garrett and thought about all the satisfaction she’d found at the hideaway. “Yes. It was wonderful. And thank you for allowing us to ride the horses.”

“Of course. I’m happy to entrust Boesel and Richards to the right people, and with your background in riding, it was an easy decision. Shall we?” He motioned to the van.

She took a deep breath. Now was the time for her to stand up for what she wanted. “Where are you taking me, Joe?”

He looked confused. “Well, back to your parents’ place, of course. They’re looking forward to seeing you.”

“I’m not going.”

A simple statement, she noted, that caused all eyes to focus on her. Garrett didn’t even glance her way, but stood next to her, his stony face unmoving.

“What do you mean?” Joe asked, honestly perplexed.

“I’m not ready to see my parents, Joe.  I need … I need a night to myself. Take me back to my apartment, please.”

“Ruby, I can’t do that. I’ve promised your parents that you would be home today.”

She shook her head, determined to see her plan through. If she played this right, she’d have one last night with Garrett. “No. You tell them whatever you need to tell them, but I need to spend the night in my apartment tonight.”

“Ruby, I don’t know what to say, except that you will be going to your parents’.”

She had to bring out the big guns, and pulled down the collar of her blouse, revealing a nasty bruise on her shoulder. “If you take me back to my parents’ house, I’ll tell them that I got this under your watch. If you let me have one night in my apartment, then I don’t say a word.”

Joe flashed Garrett a furious look.

“Yes, Garrett is responsible for this, but he gave it to me while saving my ass from some bullets. He didn’t do this on purpose, but if you don’t let me have this one simple request, I will scream to the top of the hills that he beat me.”

She swallowed and tried to hide her nervousness. She didn’t want Garrett in trouble—she only wanted one last night with him.

“That’s blackmail, Ruby,” Joe said, a slight grin on his lips.

“I don’t know what it’s called, but if blackmail gets me one night alone in my apartment before I have to see my family again, then so be it.”

Joe laced his fingers together as he studied her for a long while, and she felt like she would lose this battle.

“Very well, Ruby. I will tell your parents that we will have you under guard at your apartment. I know they still have crews coming in for the clean-up after the party, so I will strongly suggest we keep you safe until they are finished. However, you will not be staying alone. The danger is still very real.”

She nodded and glanced over at Garrett, pleading with him to volunteer.

“Garrett will stay with you,” Joe announced, narrowing his gaze on both of them. “I think that’s the best plan of action considering the circumstances. You two are not to leave that apartment, though. Do you understand?”

Ruby nodded, her nervousness fading. Pride swirled within her for finally standing up for herself and fighting to get what she wanted. She grinned. “Thank you. I’ll be ready to see my parents tomorrow morning.”

“Very well, Ruby. Thomas, please take Garrett and Ruby to her apartment. Help Garrett clear it and make sure it’s secure. I’ll have the pilot drive me back to the hotel.”

She trailed them to the van, noting Garrett hadn’t even cast a glance at her since they’d landed. Was it because of the situation, and he didn’t want Joe to know they had been messing around, or had the magic of what they’d experienced in Flagstaff worn off?

As the van lurched forward, she decided she’d find out soon enough.

Chapter 37

Garrett approached the unassuming apartment complex, wondering why Ruby didn’t live in a nicer place. Her father had more money than he knew what to do with, and certainly, some of that had trickled down to her, hadn’t it?

Then he remembered her telling him that she didn’t use any of the money from her trust fund, but she did work in the local library and supported herself.

She opened the door to the lobby, and he cringed at the lack of security. Mailboxes sat on the left, an elevator to the right, and a flight of stairs straight ahead. Their footsteps echoed on the white tile as he followed her up the stairs and down the hall to the last apartment on the left. After finding her keys in her suitcase, she opened the door, and he tossed his duffel bag aside and followed Thomas through the doorway, motioning to her to stay outside. 

The small, one-bedroom apartment looked neat and orderly. The kitchen to the left, the living room to the right. Pink and white throw pillows lined the black couch, and the coffee table stood empty except for a laptop. The T.V. seemed to be one of the higher end models.

He glanced out the sliding glass door and noted the little deck with two white, plastic chairs and a small table between them overlooking a small, wooded park across the street. She didn’t even have a security stick at the bottom of the door, and it made him crazy. What was this girl thinking? He made a mental note to get her one before he left her.

Following Thomas down the hall, he couldn’t help but feel sad for her. This place was simple, which was fine, but it lacked life, the kind of spark he’d come to associate with Ruby.

The bedroom housed a queen-sized bed covered in a white duvet. Again, the furniture struck him as plain and not what he’d expect from Ruby. He’d thought he’d find bright yellow and vibrant reds in her private space, but everything just seemed so … bland—nothing  like the girl he’d come to know. They went through the closets and peeked behind the shower curtain.

“Looks clear to me,” Thomas grumbled.

“Yeah. I agree. Let’s go get her.”

Thomas nodded and they walked to the front door. Ruby stood on the threshold, looking at them expectantly.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

Garrett nodded, and Thomas said, “See you two in the morning.”

While bringing in their bags, Garrett felt awkward. He had stepped into her world now, and he felt out of place as he locked the front door.

Ruby walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “I don’t have much here. I have two beers, a bottle of wine, a six pack of diet Coke, and expired milk.”

Suddenly, exhaustion tore through him, and he glanced over at the couch. What he really wanted was a shower and a nap. He looked at the microwave and noted he’d been awake for just over twenty-eight hours.

“I’m good for now,” he said. “Can I use your shower?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

He went down the hall and into the hall bath. He shut the door and stripped down.

The water cascaded over his body, carrying away the stress he’d been under, leaving him feeling raw. He let go of the fear he’d felt for Ruby and the adrenaline that had kept him going. Now that his time with Ruby was coming to an end, a large sense of loss flooded him, and he reminded himself that they’d created their own reality up in those mountains. This apartment, this city, was Ruby’s true world, where she belonged, and he didn’t.

Stepping from the shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist and realized he hadn’t brought in any clothing with him, and his duffel bag sat in the middle of the living room.

Sighing, he opened the door, and startled when he noticed Ruby standing in the hallway.

“Thank you,” she said, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms over her chest.

“For what?”

“For keeping me safe last night, and this whole week. For letting me be me, and accepting me the way I am. For giving me experiences I’ve never had, for taking care of me.”

I was just doing my job
sat on the tip of his tongue, but it wasn’t a true statement. It had been more than a job for him. Ruby had surprised him from the beginning, and each day, he’d grown to care about her more and more, and that’s why being here with her struck him as so difficult. He wanted it to end so she could go back to her life and he could go back to the hunt for those in Group Nine, but honestly, being with Ruby just seemed so right.

She walked over to him and placed her hand on his forearm. “You took care of me this past week, Garrett, and right now, you seem so tired. Please, let me take care of you, okay?”

The bruise peeked out from behind her blouse, and he cringed. Lifting his finger to her collarbone, he gently touched it. “I’m so sorry about this.”

She grinned. “I’m fine, Garrett. Please, don’t worry about it.”

Taking his hand, she led him the few steps to her bedroom. Pulling back the sheets, she motioned for him to get in. Sleeping should be the last thing on his mind, but as he stared at the crisp white sheets, they called to him. A nap wouldn’t hurt, and afterward, they could get something to eat.

He glanced at her as he dropped his towel to the floor. Her gaze raked over him appreciatively, and blood pooled in his groin. With just a look, the woman could excite him.

“Get into bed,” she whispered.

He wanted to drag her in with him, but he didn’t think he’d have the energy to do much but lie on his back, and he always liked to be a little more involved than that, especially with Ruby.

She gently kissed his forehead and shut the bedroom door. Sleep immediately gripped him, and as he drifted off, he thought of what his plan had been before they’d arrived at the apartment. He’d told himself that Ruby and he were done, that they both needed to get back to their own realities.

He rolled over, feeling the soft sheets against his skin, and he decided that one more night of being Ruby’s lover wouldn’t hurt either one of them.